


Lethargic Weather

by SkellyTelly



Series: Sucky Undertail Smut [8]
Category: Swapfell - Fandom, Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Childbirth, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mpreg, Pregnancy, labor, skelepreg, stuck in a snowstorm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-08
Updated: 2018-04-08
Packaged: 2019-04-18 06:45:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14207400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkellyTelly/pseuds/SkellyTelly
Summary: Snowstorms are prime time for babies to arrive.





	Lethargic Weather

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted by an anonymous user on Tumblr: "*there's a snowstorm at my place made me come up with a skelepreg idea* Hickory's having a baby at a really bad time and no one else but his brother is here to help."

Phone service was dead, the snow had piled up so high they couldn't see the tires of their car anymore, and now the power just went out. So basically, Ash's older brother was now in labor and ready to give birth in the dark during a cold, blizzarding night. How spectacular.

 

Ash was standing there by the front door, staring daggers at his little cell phone screen, burning a hole into that one tiny corner. **No Service**. What good was a cell phone for if you could not use it to make a stupid emergency call in the midst of a real _emergency_?!

 

"UGH!" Ash switched the phone off, hoping to conserve the battery of it so that once service finally decided to return, he could make that urgent call, even if it would be too late, "It's no use at all, Hickory!" Ash stormed his way back into the living room, "Maybe I could trek out down the road to see if I can-"

 

Hickory was not here.

 

"... Hickory?"

 

Now Ash was concerned, his eye lights actually allowed him some ample night vision, so even with their home being thrown into darkness like it was, he could still look around each room and make out a majority of details. And from what his eyes told him, Hickory was not in this room.

 

"... Hickory!"

 

He began to walk around their home, it was not like they had many rooms in such a small place: he just came from the main foyer and passed the kitchen, Hickory was in neither of those rooms nor in the living room currently. Ash then went down a narrow corridor that branched off to their bedrooms and the bathroom.

 

"Hickory??"

 

No sight of Hickory in Ash's bedroom.

 

Then no sight of Hickory in Hickory's bedroom.

 

And lastly, even the most logical place for a brooding monster to resort to for having the easiest tile floor to clean up and a stockpile of clean towels... Hickory was not in the bathroom.

 

"Hickory!!"

 

The only place left in this old, dinky home of theirs was the basement... Which had to be the COLDEST place in the house so why all the places available was he down _there_?

 

Ash hurried back out, coming to the kitchen where there was a door that closed off to a staircase leading to the dark, dismal basement. Ever since arriving here, neither he nor Hickory had much of an idea of what to do with the basement other than storage. They dreamed of renovating it into some cool little movie room... But those plans got put on hold when more importantly, Hickory got pregnant.

 

"... Hickory."

 

There he finally was, Ash could hear Hickory's bones rattle from how much he was shivering. Good lord, he was only wearing an old baggy Christmas sweater (which now was pretty form fitting to his rounded out belly), thin sleep pants, and socks. The poor bastard did not even bother grabbing a coat? Ash had put his own once the temperate started dropping in their house, and he was sure to pile on plenty of blankets to keep Hickory warm. Though evidently, that was not enough.

 

Here Hickory was in the dingy basement, hunched over was appeared to be an old woodstove. It clicked then in Ash's head what he was trying to do: they had neglected that old woodstove in favor of using space heaters. Would using the woodstove save them money? Sure. Did they care to do that? Not really. Honestly, a lot of things got put on hold when Hickory revealed he was having a baby. Their efforts shifted from fixing up the house to instead fixing a corner of Hickory's bedroom to be a nursery.

 

Here they were now though, Ash having just said Hickory's name, and the older sibling did not bother to respond, instead, the sound of a failed match striking was heard and then Hickory sucking in a sharp breath through gritted teeth. Ash decided to shrug off his coat, it might be small on Hickory given their heights had a significant gap, but he tossed the jacket over Hickory's shoulders.

 

"I'm not saying your name again." Ash said, "Go back upstairs and get warmed up!"

 

Hickory felt momentary relief from the warm, recently used coat emanating heat onto his cold shoulders, he lowered his hands, the box of matches clutched loosely in his fingers as he looked down in defeat.

 

Ash merely rolled his eyes, "Give me that." He then confiscated the matches and gently nudged Hickory aside. Ash took out a match and struck it quickly along the striker. These must have been an old box of matches that Hickory found, the striker was not as rigid as it should be, which made trying to light the matches a pain. He gave it maybe a few more attempts before deeming that match used up. He then plucked out another match.

 

"I-I d-d..." Hickory's chittering jaw made it difficult to speak, "Mmh-didn'... w-w-want the... m...m.. ba-aby to be born c-c-cold."

 

Ash huffed through his nose, looking at the match, then at the woodstove... It sure was a damn old thing. Looks like Hickory loaded the thing up with old wood and some tinder to help kindle a fire. Ash brushed his fingertips over the cold, coarse cast iron stove, the surface being grainy to the touch, "... Maybe..." Ash took the match, pressing the head of the match down, and then quickly striking along the top of the woodstove.

 

And then there was light.

 

Ash tossed the march into the stove, even striking up a second one to toss in too. The piece of paper began to ignite, and it slowly burned away, there was a twinge of doubt that the wood would ignite, until the fire grew, and grew, and grew more. This small woodstove illuminated this dank little basement. And the heat from the fire itself began to reach the two of them.

 

"There!" Ash said, proud of his achievements, he looked up to Hickory, expecting an approving or proud smile, instead what he found was a very somber looking expression, "... What? Are you not impressed?"

 

"Huh?" Hickory seemed to snap his attention to Ash, "Ah, sorry, no I... Th-thank you. Ash."

 

His brother looked tired, no doubt he was, Ash finally ushered Hickory back up the stairs, wanting to get his heavily expectant brother back into the living room where he could sit, rest, and bundle up in blankets while the house began to warm up.

 

* * *

 

For the urgency that Hickory made it out to be when he discovered he was in active labor, things seemed to move along fairly slowly. Hickory would have the occasional contraction and Ash offered his hand to hold once every now and then. Each time, Ash was anticipating some fiendish vice grip that would fracture his phalanges, but instead Hickory barely gave much effort in squeezing his brother's hand.

 

"Come on, I can handle it!" Ash egged on, "You don't have to hold back on me! Give me all you got!"

 

Hickory was focusing on his breathing, this contraction was lasting quite awhile, the contractions would start with the building of pressure, then hike up at a point to a very intense cramp, his belly would feel tight and hard while his back would then be strained with so much stress it sent pangs up his whole spine. It was bad, and thus Hickory then tried squeezing his hand harder to better reflect that, but it was not much more effort than the previous efforts.

 

As the grip to his belly released, Hickory was left with catching his breath and his hand dropped off of Ash's, "Th-that's-hh-that's it." Hickory panted out.

 

This felt off to Ash, shouldn't Hickory be getting some _second wind_ or have a jolt of adrenaline that would give him all this strength that he needed right now? Was Ash crazy for assuming that?

 

"I'm... Very tired." Hickory's breathing calmed down and balanced itself out, "I need a nap."

 

"Then nap already."

 

"...  _Stop telling me what to do._ "

 

Ash was taken aback by the pure  _vitriol_ to Hickory's tone. Not a common tone that Ash was used to hearing, he may sometimes miss certain cues, but there is no mistaking a specific cadence to one's voice. He was just... Silent. Staring at Hickory's face to see how through the tiredness, he had pitched a frown and teeth were baring to show his fangs. Now Ash slowly scooted away from Hickory, almost nervous that he was about to reach out and bite.

 

"... You don't think I want to sleep?" Hickory gave a raspy, short of breath laugh, "I wish I could, but it's hard to really doze off with this bowling ball trying to pass through my pelvis."

 

"I-I'm sorry! OK? Is that what you want from me??" Ash questioned, "I'm just trying to help!"

 

Hickory swallowed thickly, he turned to look back down on himself, he was hiding under a thick blanket, but his stomach was still a prominent bump under the fabric. His hand went down to rub the taut swell, "... This hurts incredibly bad..." Hickory grieved.

 

Ash was still cross with Hickory snapping back at him, but it was quickly melting with how much Hickory really was going through, and how little he was actually helping. This sucked. He didn't want to sit here and just watch Hickory suffer, but what else was there for him to do? Ash watched Hickory try to soothe himself with rubbing his belly and even reaching back to rub along the curve of his back, "Um," Ash started in a meek voice, "I-I can go see if... The phone works again."

 

Hickory just squeezed his eyes shut, giving a few eager nods.

 

The younger brother got up and pulled out his phone, walking out of the room to try fighting with the cell service again.

 

* * *

 

The howling winds outside seemed to settle down to a low whistle, the snowfall significantly slowing down too, but it was still pitch black darkness out there. And wouldn't you believe it, the cell phone service was still throttled. Ash was pretty upset, and just about ready any moment now to venture out through the snow and start banging on neighbor's doors to make a super important phone call. Though now things were a bit peculiar...

 

Hickory's contractions were starting to slow down. They seemed so serious for a while there, and Hickory had been trying a couple times to squat down and see if that would help him move along. And yet? The pain was decreasing.

 

"That's good, right?" Ash asked a bewildered Hickory.

 

"... wh-what? Wait what-why?" Hickory fumbled to question.

 

"Just means you're not giving birth yet! Which means we don't have to worry about a baby during a snowstorm!"

 

That should have been a good point and actually come as a great relief to Hickory, but no, something was off about this still. He did not feel like this was a wild case of Braxton hicks going off the charts, this had all felt so different, "... N-no, this isn't right."

 

"Brother, please, let's take this as it is! The storm is still going and the phones are dying! We're lucky the woodstove works, but we're gonna run out of heat eventually, I don't think we have much firewood left over!" Ash was trying to plead with his brother, "Just. Wait."

 

It was a tough call, Hickory was nervous about submitting to it, but this could be the blessing they needed. The weather is frightful and any help they were in need of was kept away by the damn power being out and the phone lines were dead. Begrudgingly, Hickory gave a defeated sigh, "Alright."

 

At this rate, Hickory could feasibly get some sleep. He didn't want to leave the living room though, being the room with the most heat pouring into it from the woodstove downstairs. Ash too liked this room better, taking to curling up on the armchair so Hickory could stretch out comfortably on the couch.

 

* * *

 

 

Ash was woken by Hickory crying out, it gave Ash enough a shock to be wide awake, then to look over to see Hickory squat down by the couch-oh... Oh no.

 

Outside the snow finally stopped falling, and there was just the faintest glow of morning dawn starting to show through, but the living room was starting to catch a chill and here Hickory was, kicking off his sweatpants and underwear.

 

"I'll get the firestove-" Ash hastily hopped off the chair, rushing out of the room and down the stairs.

 

Hickory didn't even respond, he had woken up with just the absolute worst pains imaginable, somehow he had slept through a majority of them, but as he got up to his feet to walk it off, there was an immediate weight to his pelvis. It felt as though something had given and he was now ready to bear down. The problem now was that the room was cold to the point of icicles forming. He felt himself shiver in tandem with his body tensing up and the unbearable urge to push hit him.

 

Ash tossed another two logs in, lighting another match to catch the coals on fire that would then consume the old wood. It would take awhile for the heat to kick back up, but there was no time to wait around. Ash pulled his phone out again, in some slight, glimmer of hope that the service was back-no, it wasn't. Why did he even bother wasting a second to try?

 

From upstairs, Hickory cried out again, leaning back against the couch for support, his pelvis felt fucking _split,_ it was so uncomfortable to try and support himself on his legs and hips. He needed to keep himself up in this squat position, but it hurt so bad to do so while he born down on the pressure, felt like something was just... Broken? Hickory always knew he had a bit of narrow pelvis... And realistically, the pelvis would need to give a little in order to safely pass the baby along. Though Hickory felt as though even the amount he would push was causing himself to have to give more girth around the baby, and thus causing such excruciating pain. So each time he tried and failed, to push, he pitifully cried out and fell back off his feet to sit on the floor instead.

 

"Hickory!" Ash rushed to him, "Should we get you to the bathroom?"

 

Hickory gulped and shook his head.

 

"Bedroom?"

 

No.

 

"Mmh-fine!" Ash then looked around, they still had to clean towels stacked in here from preparing earlier, Ash went to work.

 

He took cushions from the couch to then prop behind Hickory, helping lower him back into more a slope so he did not rely on supporting himself on his legs. And Ash made sure to tuck a couple towels under Hickory's butt. Ash was pretty careful of not staring down there for long, he was already as close as he wanted to be with his brother, no need to make things double awkward.

 

Leaning back was significantly better, Hickory could instead just spread his legs without the additional weight to them. His head rested back on the seat of the couch as he gathered his breathing, soon getting a chance then for another contraction to kickstart another urge, Hickory pulled back on his thighs and tucked his chin down to his chest. The pain was not any better, it was still an incredible sized mass trying to squeeze through an impossibly small passage, Hickory vocalized the struggle with a deep groan. Despite how fucking terrible it was, he persevered through it until the contraction let up and he stopped to breathe again.

 

Hickory had a pretty independent handle on this situation, Ash merely sat by, waiting and ready with a towel in hand.

 

After a couple of pushes, there was a very sudden _GUSH!_ out over the towel lay on the floor. Hickory's water had finally broken, and he gave a rather surprised gasp to the feeling of so much liquid ectoplasm escape him. Ash looked a little queasy, he was not keen to the idea of picking up that soaked towel now, but what was worse would be it getting into the carpet. He could not stay upset and nauseous for long, as Hickory groaned through gritted teeth, something else was starting to move along now too.

 

" _AH!! Hhh-_ " Hickory stopped abruptly from pushing, reaching a hand down between his leg and swollen belly, reaching down between his legs, he felt that his folds were bulging, " _f-fuu-fu-hh-_ " He closed his eyes shut, tears welling up in the corners as he steadied his breathing.

 

"Hickory??" Judging by his brother's face, seemed like it was bad down there, "A-are you-are you okay?"

 

He did not, could not really, respond, another contraction came in quickly. He kept his hand down there as he pushed, this time throwing his head back and baring his teeth as he could feel the slow parting of his lips to the hard mass coming through them. They parted further, and further, and further, causing then a terrible burning sensation to his poor sex. He was soon crowning.

 

And in an odd twist of things, the lights came on. Both Ash and Hickory looked up in surprise to the living room light suddenly flicking on... _Oh, sweet deity above all things, a true blessing_.

 

"Hick-" Ash said, "I'm going to get a space heater for you-be back!" he gave the towel to Hickory, placing it over his belly and just scurrying off.

 

A space heater sounded fantastic when in this cold ass room, despite how heated his body was from birthing, he caught chills from the draft of the room and would just prefer to be hot and sweaty than cold and sweaty.

 

* * *

 

 

Ash had brought back and set up the space heater during the time of Hickory pushing more and barely getting much further than crowning. He began to worry now about the baby's well being, as being stuck there could not be good for them in the long run. Hickory had to give it his all and push beyond the point where the pain was blinding white.

 

The head slipped out with another gush of fluids, Hickory desperately began to gulp in the air while the contraction kept hold, he had to push down more and just continue while they were ahead when suddenly the rest just fell through. Hickory's hands were down there in an instant to catch the little body-actually no, this was practically a moose baby that he held limply.

 

Good. God. No wonder Hickory was in so much pain...

 

He pulled the baby up to his chest to lie against, taking the towel to cover them and rub their little gooey body. After a few rubs and pats to the butt, the baby coughed out some ecto-gunk from their mouth, finally releasing some shrill cries into the room.

 

Ash was providing more towels to cover both parent and child, the room only now started to warm up, but he wanted to keep either of them from catching too much of a chill. Even now Ash took away that soiled towel from under Hickory but did replace it with anew seeing that Hickory was still... Leaking...

 

Hickory was in an absolute daze, everything felt like it was moving so fast, even he barely realized fully what he had done and then what was happening. There was pushing and yelling, there was this floppy thing on his chest, there was crying, there were more towels over him, and now he was just... Holding this helpless little newborn as they cried out to the world, and their little body shivered, making their cries all jittery and garbled. Yeah, Hickory felt the chill too, but he worked to warm up the new baby bones from being too cold.

 

"ww...wow... you're... here..." Hickory said with just so much warmth in his voice, tired and breathy, but so elated. He was still in terrible pain, but holding this newborn-his newborn, helped to greatly distract him.

 

* * *

 

 

"You were so much trouble." Uncle Ash said as he held the newly cleaned and bundled up infant.

 

After Hickory had been able to recuperate and fed little Wicker, he actually regained enough feeling to his legs to walk. He still needed plenty of help getting to the bathroom to just shower down super quick and then dressing in some new clothes, before finally getting to lie down in is own bed.

 

Ash now was transported little Wicker from Hickory's arms and over to their bassinet.

 

"Hey-Ash?" Hickory's raspy voice whispered out, "Can you... Bring them over here? Their basinet. So I can reach?"

 

"Ah! Of course." Ash said, first safely setting Wicker down, they gave a bit of fuss being finally put down and out of someone's arms. He then moved their bed over to Hickory's side, perfect reach for if Hickory needed to pick them up and to see how they are doing.

 

"... Ash?"

 

"Mh?" Ash looked up at Hickory.

 

"... Thanks."

 

"Ahh come on now! I didn't do... Much." Ash reveled in the gratitude but did not want to take it so greedily... Or maybe he hoped to get a little more praise from his brother.

 

"Well, I'm sorry that I... Had to be like I was."

 

Annnd nevermind that latter thought, Ash looked sympathetically to Hickory, "Er... Thank you, Hickory. Not like we could control any of this. What's important is... We're safe!"

 

Hickory opened an arm up to Ash, for him then to lean in, and the two hugged it out for a good solid 10 seconds before Hickory slipped off and gave a tiresome sigh.

 

"... Here." Ash went to the closet, pulling out a second blanket as he returned to the bed and sat by Hickory's side, "Slumberparty." He said as he draped the blanket over himself.

 

Hickory chuckled, settling on his side of the bed more comfortable, "Sure thing, Uncle Ash."

 

Ash sighed, "I finally get to be called that."


End file.
